Plugging the Gaps: IDP Waiver Wire for Week 16
A.J. Klein, Middle Linebacker
Injuries to stars give us major opportunity, and it is our job to leap on that opportunity, especially in a championship week. With Carolina Panthers star middle linebacker Luke Kuechly out for the rest of the season with a concussion, A.J. Klein will remain the starting middle linebacker for Carolina going forward.
Klein has played just 33 percent of the Panthers’ defensive snaps this year. While he has a low 10 percent tackle rate -- which would rank 52nd if he was among the 59 inside linebackers to play at least 30 snaps per game -- the increase in snaps has led to an 11.9 percent tackle rate over the last two weeks, in which he played 77.7 percent of the snaps. Klein also has 2.5 stuffs, a sack, and a forced fumble over this span of time, which means he’s supplementing his value with big plays.
In Week 15, he’ll take on an Atlanta Falcons offense that should get way in front of the hapless Panthers early. They’ll likely kill the clock with the running game then -- a pattern they’ve established this year, as the 10th-most run-heavy team by play calling ratio. In addition, the Falcons give up the 11th-most sacks and the 7th-most stuffs on a per-snap basis. This should be a big game for Klein.
Klein is available in 98.4% of ESPN IDP leagues, and we project Kuechly for 7.31 tackles, 0.13 sacks, 0.20 passes defended, and a total score of 8.38 fantasy points in Week 16.
